State Unclaimed Property in Vermont

Official search

Search and file claims online for free at vermont.unclaimedproperty.com, the portal the Treasurer's own page links to.¹

Property held by other states

For other states, the Treasurer links the national NAUPA search at unclaimed.org.²

Who may claim for a deceased owner

Under 27 V.S.A. § 1557, if probate is open, the property is delivered to the administrator or executor.³

In all cases outside the open-probate and under-$10,000 routes, 27 V.S.A. § 1557 has the claimant open a probate estate.³

Claiming without a probate order

If the estate is closed and the property is valued at less than $10,000, it is delivered according to the Probate Division decree of distribution (27 V.S.A. § 1557).^{3, 4}

With no open estate and no decree, and the property under $10,000, it goes to the surviving spouse, or if there is none, to the next of kin under 14 V.S.A. § 314 (27 V.S.A. § 1557).^{3, 4}

When the unclaimed property is $10,000 or more and no probate estate is open, heirs may use Vermont's small estate procedure (14 V.S.A. § 1901) rather than full probate administration.⁵

The small estate procedure applies when the estate consists entirely of personal property and has a fair market value of not more than $45,000 (14 V.S.A. § 1901).⁵

Letters of administration issued under 14 V.S.A. § 1902 are effective for one year.⁶

Fees

When the claimant opens a probate estate to claim the property, the Probate Division may waive the filing fees (27 V.S.A. § 1557).³

How an approved claim is paid

Not later than 30 days after a claim is allowed, the Administrator pays or delivers the property or the net proceeds of its sale to the owner (27 V.S.A. § 1555).⁷

Deadline to claim

Vermont holds unclaimed property until it is claimed, so there is generally no deadline for an owner or heirs to file a claim.¹

Governing law: 27 V.S.A. Chapter 18 (Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act); §§ 1553–1557

The Administrator pays or delivers the property or the net proceeds of its sale

within 30 days of the claim is allowed⁷

Probate Division

The decree of distribution for a closed estate, and a probate estate opened to claim, whose filing fees it may waive³

1. 1.Unclaimed Property (Vermont State Treasurer)
2. 2.Unclaimed Property Search Sites (Vermont State Treasurer)
3. 3.27 V.S.A. § 1557
4. 4.2026, No. 131 (H.567), As Enacted
5. 5.14 V.S.A. § 1901
6. 6.14 V.S.A. § 1902
7. 7.27 V.S.A. § 1555